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Architects Directory 2009

 

Gort Scott

United Kingdom

BIOGRAPHY AND PRACTICE

Jay Gort and Fiona Scott both studied at Cambridge, where they met. Now in their early 30s, they launched Gort Scott in 2007, following Scotts's further studies at the RCA and a spell spent teaching together back at Cambridge. They point out that they're not a couple, and thrive on 'creative friction and different but complementary approaches to design problems.'

Before they established their own studio, Gort was a director at 5th Studio Architects, while Scott worked for MVRDV, DSDHA and David Adjaye. Describing architecture as a 'background to our daily lives', they are keenly aware of creating work – be it interiors or public spaces – that engages with context, landscape, and both public and private realm. Architecture is culture, and the right mix of space, materials and light should create something 'everyone instinctively has an affinity with'. They cite the architecture of Corb, Aalto, Lina Bo Bardi, Caruso St.John and Souto de Moura as especially inspirational, as well as work by London studios Fluid and Muf.

THE HOUSE

The Nolli House is named for the 1748 map of Rome prepared by Giambattista Nolli, a spectacular piece of cartography that illustrates public space flowing through the solid private volume of the ancient city. The Nolli House references the map; the house appears as 'a singular, compact rock-like volume from the exterior,' while interior spaces of varying sizes are carved out from within the heavy walls. This negative interior space pushes its way to the edge of the volume to form room-size windows, while theavy construction keeps energy costs low with green space provided by a roof garden.

THE FUTURE

Current projects include a new art gallery in Mayfair, a contemporary pub in Cambridge and a variety of residential and educational projects.

www.gortscott.com